That I May Preach

October 4, 2009

Lesson: Mark 1:35–44

Key Verse: Mark 1:38

Introduction

In the year 44 A.D., there was the day when Peter was freed from prison by the Lord’s angel, when Peter “came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying” (Acts 12:12). Both Mark and his mother belonged to the fellowship of believers in Jesus as the Christ and Savior. Thus Mark is considered one of the ‘Seventy’ and acquainted with the Apostles. During this time of Peter’s deliverance, “the word of God grew and multiplied. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark” (12:25). Mark had been converted to Christ by the ministry of Peter, who wrote, speaking of him as his son: “The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son” (1 Peter 5:13).

Both Mark and Luke “were of the number of the seventy disciples,” writes Matthew Henry, “who companied with the apostles all along (Acts 1:21), who had a commission like that of the apostles (Luke 10:19, Mark 16:18), and who, it is highly probable, received the Holy Ghost when they did (Acts 1:15; Acts 2:1–4), so that it is no diminution at all to the validity or value of this gospel, that Mark was not one of the twelve, as Matthew and John were? St. Jerome saith that, after the writing of this gospel, he (Mark) went into Egypt, and was the first that preached the gospel at Alexandria, where he founded a church, to which he was a great example of holy living. …He so adorned, by his doctrine and his life, the church which he founded, that his example influenced all the followers of Christ.”

Though there was a division for a while between Paul and Mark (Acts 15:36–41), Paul would embrace Mark as a fellow worker in Christ. Paul wrote to the church at Colossae encouraging them to receive Mark, along with Tychicus, “who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellow-servant in the Lord”; and Onesimus, “a faithful and beloved brother”; closing with these words, “Aristarchus, my fellow-prisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister’s son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments; if he come unto you, receive him)” (Col. 4:7–10). Paul considered Mark as a fellow-worker: “Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellow-labourers” (Philem. V. 24). Paul wrote to Timothy of Mark’s worth: “Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry” (2 Tim.4:11).

There is a sense of urgency throughout the Gospel of Mark, emphasizing the divine character of Christ through his words and miracles. Mark uses the Greek word ‘eutheos’ (which means ‘straightway, immediately’) forty times; moving quickly from one view of Christ’s ministry to another, revealing that Christ Jesus is truly the Son of God. “This Jesus is the Son of God. That truth is the foundation on which the gospel is built, and which it is written to demonstrate; for if Jesus be not the Son of God, our faith is vain” (M. Henry).

Pray and Preach—Mark 1:35–39

Jesus began his ministry “preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God”; his words revealing the glory of heaven, his coming as the divine Messiah: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:14–15). Jesus was preaching and healing in Capernaum, teaching in the synagogue. During his time in Galilee, Christ had chosen four fishermen to follow him: the brothers Simon (Peter) and Andrew, and the brothers James and John (1:16–19); the former were casting their nets, the latter were mending their nets: “Christ puts honour upon those who, though mean in the world, are diligent in their business, and loving to one another; so those were, whom Christ called. He found them employed, and employed together. Industry and unity are good and pleasant, and there the Lord Jesus commands the blessing, even this blessing, Follow me” (M. Henry).

Jesus and these disciples, during that day in Capernaum, entered the home of Simon and Andrew. There they found Simon’s wife sick with a fever. Jesus “took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them” (Mark 1:31). Great and complete was the healing that she could fulfill the ministry of hospitality. Many gathered at the door of the house, seeking the healing of Christ Jesus.

When morning came, Christ rose early in the morning, “went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” Soon, the newly chosen disciples of Jesus followed after him. When they found him, they spoke to him, saying, “All men seek for thee.” Jesus answered them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.” The disciples voice a restlessness which comes from a sudden realization that something great is happening in their sight. This Jesus draws people to himself which they have not witnessed before. They, having not fully understood their own willingness to follow Jesus, want to see more of the miracles, and to hear more of his preaching. Jesus gives to his disciples the divine reason for his coming to earth, “that I may preach.”

The beloved apostle would come to a better understanding of his coming, as he records in his Gospel, these words of Christ, which were in response to the Jews who murmured “how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven,” answering, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:42–44). Also, in light of the death and resurrection of the Son of God, who is the Christ, the permanent destruction of Satan and the everlasting life of the Messiah are revealed: “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:31–32). Our Father in heaven draws us to his Son that we may know his saving grace, enabling us to draw unto him with full assurance of our salvation: “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:22); having been given the “boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus” (10:19).

Thus the disciples followed Jesus, who “preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.”

Discussion: By what authority and strength did Christ preach the Gospel?

The Cleansing of the Leper—Mark 1:40–44

Mark quickly moves to another scene, that of the leper: “And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.” Is it not true that “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17)? The strength of our faith is found in the Word of God. Listen, therefore, carefully, that by the writing of the Word to our hearts, we may, believing, come to our Father with our praise and petitions.

“Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.” From the depth of his heart, the Lord’s compassion was revealed in his delight, his will to make the leper clean. Touching the leper, which would be contagious to others, was an outward show to reveal the authority of Christ over his Creation, and his words revealed even more that power of Christ to heal: “And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; and saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.”

The Son of God, by whom came the Law, calls upon the leper to keep the Law and proceed quickly to the priest. The children of Israel had been commanded “that they put out of the camp every leper” (Num. 5:2). The Lord had also spoken to Moses about the healing of a leper: “This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest: and the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper” (Lev. 14:2–3 ff). Jesus sent him to the Priest that he may be presented as one who has been cleansed. Thus the miracle of Jesus could not very well be denied except through lies.

Is our testimony that of the beloved apostle? He wrote, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). We have come to Christ, testifying, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” 1 (John 1:9). Like the leper we are cleansed, we now walk in the righteousness of Christ. Matthew Henry calls us to testify of the faithfulness of Christ: “God is faithful to his covenant and word, wherein he has promised forgiveness to penitent believing confessors. He is just to himself and his glory who has provided such a sacrifice, by which his righteousness is declared in the justification of sinners. He is just to his Son who has not only sent him for such service, but promised to him that those who come through him shall be forgiven on his account.” We praise our Savior who has called us to draw near to him, who touched us with his redemptive love and compassion.

Discussion: What does the healing of the leper teach us about Christ Jesus?